Nick Jonas to return for 'Jumanji' sequel

Los Angeles, Feb 7 (IANS) Pop singer Nick Jonas is returning to the sequel of "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle", reprising his role as Jefferson "Seaplane" McDonough.The plot of the film is being kept under wraps.Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and Karen Gillan are also set to return and Awkwafina is in final negotiations for a significant role, reports variety.com. Danny DeVito and Danny Glover have also joined the cast, and the four teens from the first film (Ser'Darius Blain, Madison Iseman, Morgan Turner, Alex Wolff) are also returning.Jake Kasdan returns to direct from a screenplay he co-wrote with Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner. The yet-untitled movie will open on December 13, a week before "Star Wars: Episode IX" launches."Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" was a sequel to the 1995 hit "Jumanji", starring Robin Williams. Set in the present day, the reboot follows four high school students placed in detention together. The quartet is assigned to the school's basement and then transported into the Jumanji board game after they activate the discarded game.Jonas, who is married to Indian actress Priyanka Chopra, just completed production on Roland Emmerich's "Midway" and the thriller "Chaos Walking" with Daisy Ridley and Tom Holland.
--IANS dc/ab